Kicker Amp setup

[Wakesurfer]

Gang need some help - decided on new amp, speakers, towers and sub. Should all be in for install this week-end.

looking at ideas on best way to setup in my 2006 Outback V.

4 Cabin Polk DB 651
2 Bow Polk DB 651
4 tower Polk DB 651
Total 10 Speakers

1 sub - Polk

2 Kicker IX 500.4

1 Dual Zone Controller

In an ideal scenario I would want to control the power to the Towers trough the radio balance or any other way.

How do you recommend I set-up?

PS - as back up i can always use the extra Kenwood stock amp from original install for extra power

[moombadaze]

"1 Dual Zone Controller"-I have this from Kicker-control the tower seperatly from the cabins/sub. Love it!

No comment on the other stuff other than some who have had the Polks have upgraded to Exile and stated they wish they had bypassed the Polks.


"PS - as back up i can always use the extra Kenwood stock amp from original install for extra power"-why not use all 3 amps-use this one to power your sub-if it works for that, 1 for cabins and the other for the tower.


keep in mind im no stereo expert by any means--they should be commenting before to long to give better advise.

[cab13367]

Which model Polk sub? Which model Kenwood amp do you have?

[cab13367]

If you are going to go with just two IX500.4’s, I would go this route:

Amp #1: Run the two bow speakers off two channels at 4 ohms. Wire the 4 cabin speakers in parallel and run them off the other two channels (at 2 ohms).

Amp#2: Bridge two channels to drive the Polk sub at 4ohms. The sub MUST be a 4 ohm single voice coil sub. Wire the 4 tower speakers in parallel and run them off the other two channels at 2 ohms.

This is not ideal but I think it’s your best bet given the amps that you bought. Ideally, you should have bought a Kicker 700.5 instead of the second IX500.4 if you wanted to stick with two amps. Otherwise, you should buy a third amp, a mono amp for your sub and run your four tower speakers of your second IX500.4.

Al

[bergermaister]

Have you bought the IX500.4's yet?

You could run your 4 tower speakers on a 2-channel amp instead, wiring them in parallel as Al said. That could possibly save you a few bucks on the amp and also means fewer wires running up your tower tubes.

I have similar components to you (Kicker/Polk) except I only have to worry about 4 cabin speakers vs 6... As already mentioned, 3 amps is ideal.

[cab13367]

Have you bought the IX500.4's yet?

You could run your 4 tower speakers on a 2-channel amp instead, wiring them in parallel as Al said.

Agreed. I was working on the assumption that he already ordered the equipment.

[MLA]

Have you bought the IX500.4's yet?

You could run your 4 tower speakers on a 2-channel amp instead, wiring them in parallel as Al said. That could possibly save you a few bucks on the amp and also means fewer wires running up your tower tubes.

I have similar components to you (Kicker/Polk) except I only have to worry about 4 cabin speakers vs 6... As already mentioned, 3 amps is ideal.

4 speakers on a 2 chnl amp is no different then 4 speakers on one half of a 4 chnl amp.

[MLA]

If you are going to go with just two IX500.4’s, I would go this route:

Amp #1: Run the two bow speakers off two channels at 4 ohms. Wire the 4 cabin speakers in parallel and run them off the other two channels (at 2 ohms).

Amp#2: Bridge two channels to drive the Polk sub at 4ohms. The sub MUST be a 4 ohm single voice coil sub. Wire the 4 tower speakers in parallel and run them off the other two channels at 2 ohms.

This is not ideal but I think it’s your best bet given the amps that you bought. Ideally, you should have bought a Kicker 700.5 instead of the second IX500.4 if you wanted to stick with two amps. Otherwise, you should buy a third amp, a mono amp for your sub and run your four tower speakers of your second IX500.4.

Al

The above scenario will also work if the sub is a dual 2 ohm when wired in series.

I see no issue here with heat, given you are running Class-D amps.

Staying in the Kicker Class-D IX lineup, The OP could check out the IX1000.5 to drive all 6 in-boats and the sub.

[cab13367]

The above scenario will also work if the sub is a dual 2 ohm when wired in series.

Good point!

[Wakesurfer]

Thanks guys VERY helpful - i really did not want to go with 3 amps. But will if it makes sense as I already own it. I don’t remember the watts of the Kenwood stock amp but it was not bad and running all 6 Cabin speakers and Sub.

Maybe i should consider keeping Kenwood to run 2 Bow speakers + sub and have 4 Cabin and 4 Tower on 2 iX 4 channel?

[bergermaister]

This may be stating the obvious here but watch your power output ratings on the amp when you are "sharing" a channel with speakers in parallel and going two ohm. If you have 2 speakers at 60 watts RMS each on a single channel, then you'll want that one channel of the amp to be able to put out 120watts+ at 2ohm to properly feed both speakers. 'Tis better to overpower speakers than underpower them I've learned. This is also where the suggestion for the 2-channel amp for your tower came from.